Nikola Jokic Texted Michael Malone After Firing, Won't Discuss Josh Kroenke Meeting

Nikola Jokić filled up the stat sheet with his 32nd triple-double of the season against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night in the Denver Nuggets' first game since firing Michael Malone.

Speaking to reporters after Denver's 124-116 win over the Kings, Jokić noted he did text Malone on Tuesday after learning of the coach's sacking.

"I texted to him," Jokić said. "It was a 10-year relationship, so it was heavy day for everybody, probably especially for him and his family. But I would say it's part of the business."

As for what the Nuggets told their superstar player about the decision to move on from Malone, Jokić did have a discussion with team president Josh Kroenke but kept the details of that meeting private.

"I knew a little bit before everybody," Jokić explained. "And he told me, 'We made a decision.' So it was not a discussion. It was a decision. He told me why. And so I listened. And I accepted it. I'm not going to tell you what he told me. I'm going to keep that private."

Jokić went on to make a comparison based on what he has learned from his home country of Serbia about what happens when the boss wants to do something different:

"I mean, when someone wants to make [a personnel change] or change energy, that's probably what they do. In my country, if someone get fired, [the] word is probably you are the next [one to go]. ... I mean if you want to change something, that's how [they] do it, and the owner wanted to do it."

The Nuggets shocked everyone on Tuesday when they fired Malone with three games remaining in the regular season. They also announced general manager Calvin Booth won't return next season, as his contract isn't being renewed.

Malone was the only head coach Jokić has played for in the NBA. He was hired by Denver in June 2015, right around the same time Jokić officially joined the Nuggets after being drafted in 2014.

Their partnership has been incredibly successful for the organization. The Nuggets made the playoffs in each of the past six seasons, winning the NBA Finals during the 2022-23 season.

It has been well-documented that Malone and Booth didn't see eye to eye, so the organization picking one over the other would have made sense. Instead, the Nuggets decided to clean house at the end of the regular season with a roster that's still in position to compete for a championship.

Wednesday's win moved the Nuggets into fourth place in the Western Conference standings and just one game behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the No. 3 seed.

Jokić looked just fine on the court playing for interim head coach David Adelman. He had 20 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and four steals in 38 minutes against the Kings.